Folder

ABSTRACT

A folder comprising a single folded blank and characterized by a rear portion and upper and lower flaps hinged to said rear portion. One of said flaps has a transverse slot therethrough, into which the other of said flaps may be received. Inserts such as brochures, pamphlets or the like may be inserted into the slot and retained in place by the other of the flaps also inserted through the slot. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the folder may comprise a two-part folder having two identical portions in side-by-side relationship and joined by a common fold line.

United States Patent Meyer 1451 Dec. 26, 1972 1 FOLDER 853,889 5/1907 Magoun ..229 92.s

876,117 1/1908 Walker [72] Invent 22:?" Meyer l 2,016,063 10/1935 White ..229/92.s [78] Assignee: The Herold Press, Inc., New York, FORElGN PATENTS APPLICATIONS N.Y. 23,732 11/1905 Great Britain ..229/92.5

[22] Flled: Sept 1970 Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead [21] Appl. No.: 68,695 Attorney-Jacobi, Lilling & Siegel [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT A folder comprising a single folded blank and charac- Nov.29, 1969 Germany ..G 69 46 411.5 terized y a rear portion and pp and lower p hinged to said rear portion. One of said flaps has a (g1 ..229/92.}5k transverse slot therethrough, into which the other of [58] d 92 1 92 5 said flaps may be received. Inserts such as brochures, 0 can pamphlets or the like may be inserted into the slot and retained in place by the other of the flaps also inserted [56] References Cited through the slot. in a preferred embodiment of the in- UNITED STATES PATENTS vention, the folder may comprise a two-part folder having two identical portions in side-by-side relation- 1 gdusltgr 229/92; hip and joined by a common fold line.

, u ner, Jr..... .....229/87.5

246,298 8/1881 Eckman ..229/92.5 UX

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 2 6 I972 INVENTOR yer Mel-l" N BY $0.4, AMA-r", ATTORNEY FOLDER This invention relates generally to a folder, and more particularly to a folder having pocket or slot means for receiving inserts such as brochures orthe like.

It has long been desired to provide folders or receptacles for receiving and containing therein a multitude of brochures, pamphlets, advertising materials, booklets, leaflets, and the like. Such folders, for example, find great utility in the fields of travel, tourism, trade shows, conventions and the like.

To date, prior-art known folders of this general type have comprised folders formed from a single blank and having flaps which are folded in overlapping fashion when the folder is closed. In addition, other forms of prior art folders have included inside pockets for inserting into same the brochures orthe like mentioned above. The manufacture of these latter types of folders is relatively complicated inasmuch as the sides of the pockets must be sealed adhesively, stitched, stapled, or otherwise secured to the body of the folder, thus, necessitating an additional and costly operation in the manufacture of such folders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the above background in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide such a folder for receiving brochures or the like, which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of known folders.

Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a folder formed of a single folded blank and having pocket means, which dispenses with the use of adhesive, stitches, staples or other securing means for such pocket means.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro- 'vide such a folder wherein the pocket means is provided merely by providing suitable holes in the folded blank.

These, as well as other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are implemented by the inventive folder characterized by a rear portion and respective upper and lower flaps, one of which flaps includes a slot into which the free end of the other of the flaps is inserted when the folder is to be closed. Preferably, this aperture or slot is formed in the lower flap, and the open end of the upper flap is inserted therethrough when the folder is closed. The rear portion of the folder and the lower flap having a slot therein thus form essentially a pocket means which is, however, completely open at its sides. The inserts such as brochures or the like are inserted into the pocket through the slot in such a manner that the lower portions of the inserts are received within this pocket means whereas the upper portion of the lower flap, i.e., that portion above the slot, remains between the rear portion of the folder and the inserts when the folder is closed. The slot in the lower flap is of suitable dimensions to substantially prevent lateral movement of the inserts beyond the lateral sides of the slot, thus, effectively preventing the inserts from falling out even though the side portions of the lower flap are not secured to the rear portion of the folder.

The width of the slot is selected somewhat larger than the width of the inserts. Accordingly, the open end of the upper flap which is to be inserted into the ,slot in the lower flap preferably has a width somewhat smaller than the width of the-slot. When the upper flap is inserted into this slot, it covers the inserts, and the folder is secured thereby so that the inserts are safely secured in all four directions of movement.

The folder according to this invention can be constructed either as a one-part or two-part folder. If it is desired to construct the folder as a two-part folder, then the folder includes two identical mirror-image portions which adjoin each other along a common folding line. The two-part folder is likewise made from a single blank without any adhesive, stitches, staplings or other securing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a suitable blank for forming the folder of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of the inventive folder, shown in folded or closed position; and

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a folder of FIG. 2, taken substantially along line I-l of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG.

l the inventive folder inits unfolded position. In this figure, the rear portion of the folder is indicated by reference numeral 1, and the folder further includes a lower flap 2 having an elongated slot 3 therein, and an upper flap 4. The upper flap 4 has respective, side edges 5 and 6 which may be tapered in such manner that the open or free end 7 of the flap 4 is narrower than the connecting edge or fold line 8 joining the upper flap 4 to the rear portion 1. The lower flap 2 is connected to rear portion of the folder through side or fold line 9.

The folder illustrated in FIGS; 1 and 2 is depicted as an embodiment having two parts, whereby the folder may be opened and closed like a book. The second part of the folder is constructed substantially identically with the first part of the folder, as described above, and comprises essentially a mirror-image. thereof. The reference numerals identifying the corresponding parts of the second part of the folder are shown by l, 2', 3, etc.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view showing only the first or left half of the folder of FIG. 1, wherein the folder is shown as in its folded position. In this figure, the upper flap 4 is folded inwardly along its folding edge 8 and the open or free end 7 thereof is inserted into slot 3 of flap 2, the latter being likewise folded inwardly along its respective folding 9. This embodiment represents the one-part folder when it is in folded condition.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a folder filled with a number of inserts 12, and is taken along line Il of FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the dimensions and proportions of the folder are shown as somewhat exaggerated in order to more clearly show the folded relationship amongst the various parts thereof. Inserts 12, such as brochures or the like, are inserted into the pocket means defined by the slot 3 in lower flap 2, and the upper flap 4 is then also inserted into such pocket means, over the inserts 12, in such a manner that the lower portion of flap 2 and the rear portion 1 form a pocket in which the inserts 12 are secured against lateral escape by means of bridges or the like and 1 1 of flap 2 (FIG. 1);

The slot 3, which is shown in the figures as extending horizontally and parallel to the folding line 9, can also be constructed in any desired configuration. For example, it can have a curved configuration in the shape of divided circles, or the like. Moreover, the slots 3 may be slanted or inclined in relation to folding line 8, showing for example a diagonal course of direction.

By providing a folder for brochures or the like in accordance with the detailed description above, it is believed obvious that all of the objects of the invention set in position by said flaps and said slot.

forth at the outset to the specification have been successfully fulfilled. Accordingly, I

What is claimed is l. A receptacle-like folder adapted to receive and contain inserts, comprising a two-part folder having a pair of mirror-image portions hingedly joined to each other along a common fold line, said mirror-image portions adapted to be folded in book-like fashionalong said common fold line; each of said mirror-image portions having a rear portion, a first flap hingedly joined to said rear portion and having a slot therethrough for receiving said inserts, and a second flap hingedly joined to said rear portion and adapted to be inserted into said slot over said inserts; said inserts adapted to be retained 

1. A receptacle-like folder adapted to receive and contain inserts, comprising a two-part folder having a pair of mirrorimage portions hingedly joined to each other along a common fold line, said mirror-image portions adapted to be folded in booklike fashion along said common fold line; each of said mirrorimage portions having a rear portion, a first flap hingedly joined to said rear portion and having a slot therethrough for receiving said inserts, and a second flap hingedly joined to said rear portion and adapted to be inserted into said slot over said inserts; said inserts adapted to be retained in position by said flaps and said slot. 